Anger of House Dems boils over

House Democrats railed against President Barack Obama's tax cut deal with congressional Republicans in a closed-door caucus meeting Tuesday night, even as there were signs that the White House could pick up enough support for the package to win enactment.

Speaker after speaker expressed frustration at the president's acquiescence to Republican demands for a multi-year freeze on the rates for top income in exchange for an extension of unemployment insurance and a basket of Democratic-favored tax breaks, according to several Democratic sources.

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"Our guys got taken to the cleaners," Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen said of the White House's handling of a provision on the estate tax as he presented the plan to the caucus, according to sources who were in the room. Van Hollen was the House Democrats' negotiator in six-party talks involving two administration officials and a lawmkaer from each party in each chamber that produced the sidebar pact between the White House and the GOP.

The anger Democrats telegraphed in public comments Monday turned quickly into an escalating gripe session Tuesday night, according to those present. Those who spoke in favor of the plan were greeted with silence; those opposed received lusty ovations.

The White House, which was represented by legislative aides at the meeting, plans to dispatch Vice President Joe Biden to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to work on soothing tensions.

A tempestuous caucus meeting won't necessarily translate into defeat of the president's proposal. The question in the minds of many Democrats is whether Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will put the plan to a vote. Republicans say they will provide near-uniform support for it, meaning only a small share of House Democrats — probably fewer than four dozen — could put it over the top.

For all the histrionics — and House leaders' careful avoidance of endorsing the plan — the president has pockets of support from those who fear their constituents would be harmed by a failure to act before Republicans take control of the House in January.